Excavating-machine.



No. 801,007. PATENTED 00T. 3, 1905. J. HELM. EXGAVATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 1350.9, 1904.

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PATENTED OCT. 3, 1905.

J. HELM. EXCAVATING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED DBO. 9, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

jaag@ y C y No. 801,007. PATNTED OCT. 3, 1905.

J. HELM.

EXGAVATING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED DB0,9,1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

/QLMwf y W CDM/ UNITED STATES JOHN HELM, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

ExcAvATluca-:whomNEl.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 9, 1904. Serial No. 236,094.

T0 @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN HELM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Excavating-Machines, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates to excavatingmachines, and has for its principal objects to provide a machine having gathering mechanism which is movable longitudinally, to provide a locomotive excavating-machine having a gathering mechanism movable as an entirety with respect to the frame of the machine, to provide an excavating-machine that can gather material in circles of increasing radius without moving the machine as a Whole, to provide a loading-machine which may turn about a vertical axis but discharges the material excavated from a conveyer which is xed with respect to the truck of the machine, and other objects hereinafter more fully appearing.

My invention consists in the parts and in the arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and wherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur, Figure 1 is a side view of the machine, the discharge-conveyer being cut oif. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the platform of the machine, the superstructure being removed. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the parts beneath the' platform, and Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1, the chain being removed.

A truck 1 forms the foundation of the machine. Its construction is determined by the parts which it supports, and it is provided with wheels suitable for use on a railway. A platform 2, supporting a frame, is mounted on the truck by means of a turn-table hereinafter described. Upon tlie rear end of the platform a boiler 3 is arranged and near it a vertical engine4 is mounted. The engine furnishes the motive power for all the running parts of the machine. Any motor desired may be substituted for the one shown, as the construction of the motor in no way aects the operation of the machine.

The frame of the machine consists of uprights 5, having at the top horizontal beams 6, which overhang the front uprights. Inclined beams 7 extend forwardly from the front ends of the horizontal beams 6, the horizontal and inclined beams being connected at their meeting-point.

The upper and inner faces of the horizontal beams 6 of the frame are faced with angle-irons 8 to provide a trackway. The carriage of the dislodging mechanism runs on this trackway. It consists of a trough 9, in the side of which are journaled axles carrying flanged wheels 10. Racks 11 are secured to the bottom of the trough, and pinions 12, rigidly mounted on a shaft 13, mesh with the racks. The shaft 13 is journaled in bearings in the under side of the horizontal beams 6 of the frame and on its end carries a sprocket-wheelv 14, through which motion is impartedto it by means hereinafter described.

A primary trough 15 is pivotally connected at its rear end to the front end of the trough 9 of the carriage.

Sprockets 16 and 17 are mounted at the lrear and front ends, respectively, of the trough 9 of the carriage, the axis of the sprockets 17 being the pivot'for the primary trough 15. Sprockets 18 are mounted on the front end of the-primary trough. Near the upper end of the front uprights of the frame'are bearings in which a secondary drive-shaft 19 is mounted. Near the end of this drive-shaft is a sprocket-wheel 20, which is actuated by means hereinafter described. Sprockets 21 are rigidly secured on the shaft. Yokes 22, carrying sprockets 23 24 on their ends, respectively, are pivotally mounted on the shaft 19. Sprockets 25 are mounted in hangers 25, located on the horizontal beams near their front ends. A chain 26, carrying buckets 27, passes over the sprockets 16, through the trough 9 of the carriage, over the sprockets 17, through the primary trough 15, over the sprockets 18',

4over the sprockets 25, over the sprockets 24,

under the sprockets 21, and over the sprockets 23. The chain and buckets may be of any type. The bucketsV are designed to dislodge and gather the material from the'bank, to be excavated.

A pulley-block 28 is mounted onltrhe front end of the primaryv trough 15. A rope 29 i's secured at one'lend to the upper end of the inclined beams 7 of the frame. Apulley 30 is mounted near the point of attachment of the rope 29. The rope passes down 'through the pulley-block 28, upward and around thepulley 30, then downwardly to a drum 31"on a shaft hereinafter described. y 'L Y.

A hopper 32 is mounted on the frame.v Aft its upper end it has an extenty longitudinally of the machine equal to the maximum movement of the carriage of the gathering mech- Patented Oct. 3, 1905.

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lcontinuously rotating.

anism, so that whatever its position may be the gathering mechanism can discharge into the hopper. The hopper 32 is contracted toward its lower end, Where it is connected to a pipe 33, having as its axis the axis of rotation of the machine. The pipe 33 communicates at its lower end with an elbow 34, braced between hangers 35. secured to the truck 1. This elbow discharges the material onto a belt conveyer about to be described.

In the hangers 35 a shaft provided with sprockets 36 is journaled. In hangers 37, depending from a side bar of the truck, is a shaft 38. On this shaft other sprockets 39 are secured. In the same hangers a shaft carrying sprockets 40 is mounted. Beams 41 project from the side of the truck, their outer endsbeing inclined upwardly and provided with a shaft carrying sprockets 42. The belt consists of sprocket-chains 43, secured to the sides of an apron 44. It passes around the sprockets 36, under the sprockets 39, around the sprockets 42, and under the sprockets 40.

The turn-table for the platform of the machine is constructed as follows: Upon the frame of the truck a large worm-wheel 45, having an internal annular flange 46, is rigidly mounted. A ring 47, which is L-shaped in cross-section, is secured to the bottom of the platform and rests in the worm-wheels 45, the iange 46 thereof forming the track upon which it slides in turning. A shaft 48 is journaled on the bottom of the platform and is provided with a worm 49, which meshes with the worm-wheel 45. As the turn-table is concentric with the worm-wheel the turning of the platform will not carry the worm out of engagement with the worm-wheel.

The actuating mechanism for the parts above described will now be described.

The engine is provided with a long shaft 50, journaled in bearings mounted on the platform. To the left of the engine the shaft carries a sprocket 51, a fly-wheel 52, and a second sprocket 53. J`ournaled in bearings 54 is a counter-shaft 55, parallel with theengine-shaft. Upon it is arranged a loose sprocket 56, a loose sprocket 57, a fixed sprocket 58, a fixed clutch member 59, a loose drum 31, and alixed sprocket 61, The hubs of loose sprocket 56 and the fixed sprocket 58 are provided with clutch-faces on the sides toward the loose sprocket 57. The latter is provided with an elongated hub having a peripheral groove and clutch-faces on both sides. pivoted in a bearing on the platform, engages the peripheral groove in the hub of the loose sprocket 57. A sprocket-chain 63 connects the sprocket 53 on the engine-shaft and the sprocket 58, fixed on the counter-shaft 55. The sprocket 58 and the counter-shaft are thus A twisted sprocketchain 64 connects the sprocket 5l on the engine-shaft and the loose sprocket 56 on the counter-shaft 55. The loose sprocket 56 thus A shift-lever 62,`

continuously rotates in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the counter-shaft. By means of the shiftlever 62 the loose sprocket 57 may be clutched to either the sprocket 56 or the sprocket 58, and thus be caused to rotate in either direction, or it may be held out of engagement with either, and thus will be allowed to stand idle. Asprocketchain 65 connects the sprocket l57 with the sprocket 14 on the shaft 13, through which motion is imparted to the carriage of the gathering mechanism. Thus by manipulating the shift-lever 62 the carriage may be moved forward or backward, as desired.

The fixed sprocket 61 on the counter-shaft 55 is connected by a sprocket-chain 66 with the sprocket 2() on the secondary drive-shaft 19 of the bucket chain or conveyer. The conveyer thus runs continuously in one direction.

The drum 3l is provided with an elongated hub having a clutch-face on the side toward the clutch member 59, fixed on the countershaft 55 and with a peripheral groove. A shift-lever 67 is pivoted on the platform and engages the peripheral groove in the hub of the drum. A brake 68, pivoted on the platform, bears on the hub. When the drum is clutched to the clutch member 59, it winds up the rope 29 and raises the front end of the primary trough. When the drum is released, the front end of the primary trough is permitted to fall of its own weight until the brake is set.

It will be seen that all the instrumentalities for driving the gathering mechanism are centralized in the counter-shaft 55.

Upon the right end of the engine-shaft are arranged in order a pinion 69 and sprockets 70 and 71. On the shaft 48 for the worm 49 are two loose sprockets 72 73, the adjacent faces of their hubs being clutch-faces. Between them is a clutch member 74, which is keyed to the shaft. A shift-lever 75 engages the clutch member and extends upwardly through a hole in the platform provided for it. A straight chain 76 connects the sprockets 71 and 73, and a twisted chain 77 connects the sprockets 7() and 72. Thus the sprockets 72 and 73 will be continuously driven in opposite directions, and at any time the shaft 48 can be driven in either direction by manipulating the shaft-lever 75. Thus themachine can be turned in either direction about a vertical axis.

A counter-shaft 78 is mounted in bearings 79 on the platform so as to be parallel with the engine-shaft. On it is arranged a gearwheel 60, meshing with the pinion 69 on the engine-shaft and a bevel-gear 80. A large hollow bevel-gear 81 rmeshes with the bevelgear 8O and surrounds the discharge-pipe 33 of the hopper. lt is supported in a stepbearing 82, secured to the platform. At its lower end it has a bevel-gear 83. A shaft is journaled in bearings 84 on the truck and car- IIO ries a bevel-gear 85, meshing with the bevelgear 83 and a sprocket 86.

Upon the front axle of the truck is a loose sprocket 87, having an elongated hub provided with a clutch-face and a peripheral groove. A shift-lever 88 is pivoted on the truck and engages the peripheral groove on the hub of the sprocket 87. A clutch member 89 is fixed in the axle. A chain 90 connects the sprockets 86 and 87. When it is desired to move the machine, it is only necessary to manipulate the shift-lever 88 and clutch the sprocket 87 to the axle.

Integral with the bevel-gear 85 is a spurgear 91. A shaft 92, journaled in bearings on the truck, extends parallel with the shaft carrying the bevel-gear 85 and spur-gear 91 and carries on one end a gear-wheel 93, meshing with the spur-gear 91. On its opposite end it carries a bevel-gear 94, which meshes with a bevel-gear on a shaft 96, journaled on the truck. At its end the last-mentioned shaft carries a sprocket 97. A sprocketchain 98 connects the sprocket 97 with a sprocket 99 on the shaft 88. A sprocket 100 is also secured on the shaft 38. A sprocket 101 is secured on the shaft journaled in the outer end of the beams 41, supporting the discharge-conveyer. The sprockets and 101 are connected by a sprocket-chain 102. In this way the shaft at the outer end of the beams is made the drive-shaft for the discharge-conveyer, and thus the upper side or load-carrying side of the apron will be kept substantially taut.

In beginning work on a bank of earth, for example, the gathering mechanism is adjusted to its rearmost position. The machine is then moved forward on the track until the front end of the gathering-mechanism is in position to engage the bank. The conveyer-chain is started, dislodges the earth, and carries it up the primary trough. through the trough of the carriage, and discharges it into the hopper. From the hopperthe earth passes down to the discharge-conveyer, which may be discharged into wagons or onto a dump, as desired. The gathering mechanism begins work at the bottom of the bank. The drum 31 is clutched to its shaft and winds up the rope 27, thus raising the front end of the gathering mechanism. A cut having been made to the top of the bank the front end of the gathering mechanism is permitted to fall to the bottom of the bank. Then the machine is rotated, so as to move the front end of the gathering mechanism a distance equal to the width of the cut. Then a second upward cut is made. This operation is repeated until an arc of the desired size has been described. Then the carriage of the gathering mechanism will be moved forward an amount equal to the depth of the cut and the previous operation repeated. This mode of operation may be continued until the gathering mechanism has reached its fore- `most position.

Then it will be necessary to move the gathering mechanism rearwardly on the frame of the machine and the machine forward, after which the series of operations described above may be repeated until the gathering mechanism shall have again reached its foremost position on the frame.

Obviously my machine is capable of considerable modification within the scope of my invention, and therefore I do not wish to be limited to the specific construction shown and described.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An excavating machine comprising a truck, a platform rotatably mounted on said truck, and gathering mechanism mounted on said platform and comprising a jointed trough one portion of which is arranged to have longitudinal movement with respect to said platform.

2. An excavating machine comprising a truck, a platform rotatably mounted on said truck, a frame on said platform, gathering mechanism mounted on said frame to have longitudinal movement, and a hopper having an extent longitudinally of the frame equal to the distance through which said gathering mechanism is movable and havinga dischargepipe arranged coaxially with the axis of rotation of said platform. K

3. An excavatingmachine comprising a truck, a platform rotatably mounted on said truck, gathering mechanism mounted on said platform` a discharge-conveyer mounted on said truck, and a hopper arranged to receive material discharged from said gathering mechanism and having a discharge-chute arranged coaxially with the axis of rotation of said platform and in position to discharge onto said discharge-conveyer.

4. An excavatingmachine comprising a truck, a platform rotatably mounted in said truck, a frame on said platform having horizontal beams, rollers running on said beams, a trough supported by said rollers and provided with racks,.a trough pivotally connected to the end of said first-mentioned trough, a conveyer-chain running through said pivotally-connectedtroughs, ashaft on said frame and having pinions engaging said racks, ashaft on said frame and having sprockets engaging said chain, and actuating means on said platform for said shafts.

5. An excavating-machine comprising a platform, a frame thereon, a conveyer-trough longitudinally movable in said frame and provided with a rack, a shaft mounted in said frame and provided with a pinion engaging said rack and a driving-pulley, a motor having a shaft provided with two pulleys, a counter-shaft mounted on said platform and provided with a fixed and a loose pulley, astraight and a twisted belt connecting the pulleys on said motor-shaft and said counter-shaft in IOO IIO

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pairs, respectively, a loose pulley mounted in said counter-shaft between said pulleys thereon, a belt connecting said last-mentioned loose pulley and said driving-pulley, and means to clutch said last-mentioned pulley to either of the pulleys on its opposite sides whereby said conveyer-trough may be moved forward or baclmvard.

6. An eXcavatingmachine comprising a platform, aframe thereon, a conveyer-trough mounted in said frame to have longitudinal movement, shafts provided with sprockets mounted at the opposite ends of said conveyerframe, a second trough pivotally mounted on onel of said shafts and provided at its free end with a shaft carrying sprockets.y a conveyerchain running' over said sprockets and through said troughs, and means to actuate said chain.

7. An excavatingmachine com prising a truck, a platform rotatably mounted on said truck, a motor on said platform, a hollow bevelgear mounted on a hollow shaft journaled in said platform with its axis vertical and coincident with the axis of rotation of said platform, said shaft projecting beneath said platform, means transmitting` motion from said motor to said bevel-gear, a bevel-gear on the lower end of said shaft, a counter-shaft mounted on said truck and provided with a bevelgear meshing with said last-mentioned bevelgear, and a hopper on said platform having a disch arge-pipe extending' through said hollow bevel-gear and shaft.

8. An excavating-machine comprising a truck, a platform rotatablyT mounted on said truck1 a frame mounted on said platform, a conveyer-frame longitudinally movable on said frame, means to reciprocate said conveyer -frame, av conveyer-frame pivotally mounted on one end of said first-mentioned conveyer-frame, means to raise and lower the free end of said second-mentioned conveyerframe, an endless conveyer mounted on said conveyer-frames, and means to actuate said conveyer.

9. An excavating-machine comprising a truck` a platform rotatably mounted on said truck, and gathering mechanism mounted on said platform and comprising a jointed frame, one portion of which is arranged to have a longitudinal movement with respect to said platform` and a bucket-carrying chain on said frame.

in testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 29th day of November, 1904:.

Jol-1N HELM.

Vtritnesses:

WVM. l). CARP., J. B. MnGowN. 

